As motor insurance fraud hits new heights, the BVRLA is asking for rental companies to share their insurance claims data in a bid to counterattack the increase that is threatening the industry.

Supporting the decision are a number of vehicle hire companies including one family run rental expert with a long running reputation, Fair Rent, who operate their business from premises in Chingford and Enfield in North London. The BVRLA or the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association was established in 1967 and acts as the trade body for vehicle leasing companies across the UK.

In recent years the focus on crime has been an important one for both the BVRLA and motor leasing companies, with hire cars and vans being used more in crimes or shipped off abroad, as it makes tracing villains a difficult task, often using false credentials to hire vehicles. The BVRLA has issued a report that reveals just how much is lost to the rental sector as a direct result of organised crime, taking data from over 100,000 self-drive hire claims together with well over 4,000 fraudulent claims from the Netfoil system.

The results were quite astonishing as the potential for approximately £22million worth of fraud claims annually were found. The company behind the report, Hill Dickinson, an associate member of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, outlined that claims fraud is still hugely attractive to criminals, following record levels being reached in the UK this year.

In a statement from Nora Leggett, the Head of Member Services at BVRLA, she said: “Sharing claims data could prevent this type of fraud from occurring in the first place,” adding that “The rental sector has historical information which could be used to provide a detailed analysis of fraud. Members could then learn how to strengthen their defences.”

Based in North London, leading car and commercial leasing experts Fair Rent often react to news and reports surrounding their industry. As members of the BVRLA, they are keen to show their support for tighter controls over criminal activity that is costing a huge amount each year. A company spokesperson believes that if rental companies do go ahead and share their data; more can be done to protect the rental and leasing industry:

“It is an important factor for all rental and vehicle leasing companies to do what they can to combat claim fraud in the UK today. The amount lost is a huge financial burden on companies, especially the smaller ones who cannot afford to continue paying the price for replacing lost income through fraud. Assisting the BVRLA allows businesses to go one step further to stamping out crime in our industry.”

Providing a variety of vehicles from budget to prestige cars, MPV’s, minibuses and commercial vans, Fair Rent have been established since 1985. Located in North East London, visit their website for great deals on a range of car hire deals today at www.fairrent.co.uk.